Once the walls are sorted, other elements, such as curtains and chair upholstery, can be chosen to coordinate with whatever your décor choice. For bold walls in dark colours, it’s often safe to keep accessories, such as tableware, more neutral. But when you have a neutral colour scheme, you can be bolder with the details.

Another good starting point is to think about the number of people you are likely to entertain at any one time. You might not be able to change the room size, but there are ways of adapting the space to cater for the number of guests, such as using extendable tables and fold up chairs. If you like to serve food inside the dining room, then buffet tables and sideboards with the addition of a hot plate are a great idea.